Childcare in Epping
Epping has 4 day nurseries, 5 pre-schools, 2 school nursery classes, 2 childminders and 5 after-school clubs. Ofsted has inspected 10 of them, and rated every one Good or better, 1 of them Outstanding. 8 have never been inspected, which usually means recently registered. Across Essex there are 36 places per 100 children under five, better supplied than England as a whole at 32.
Places per 100 under-fives is registered capacity at nurseries, pre-schools and childminders across Essex, divided by the children aged 0 to 4 who live there at the 2021 Census. It compares areas; it is not a count of free places today. It also leaves out the 154 school nursery classes across Essex, because nobody publishes how many children they take.
What has changed here
Ofsted does not publish closures, so we work them out by comparing releases. Worth knowing if you are working from an old list.
- Dec 2025Opened Little Voices Epping Forest Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Opened Premier - Essex Hub Out-of-school day care
- Jun 2025Opened Chrysalis at the Church Full day care
What people ask about childcare in Epping
Answered from the figures on this page, so they stay in step with it.
Which nurseries in Epping take funded hours?
5 of the 18 settings in Epping are recorded as taking the government funded hours. Councils do not publish a list of approved providers, so the rest are unknown rather than a no.
Are any nurseries in Epping rated Outstanding?
Yes. 1 of the 10 settings Ofsted has inspected in Epping hold an Outstanding grade.
Which nurseries in Epping take babies?
14 settings in Epping are registered to take children under two. Ofsted's register does not say whether a setting runs a baby room or has space in it, so ring before you plan around it.
Is it hard to get a nursery place in Epping?
Essex has 36 registered childcare places for every 100 children under five, against 32 across England. That is registered capacity rather than free places, so it compares areas rather than telling you what is available this week.
Towns close to Epping
Worth widening the search to, especially if you drive to work.